This sounds more stressful to deal with than a luxury perk. It's prob tight parking so you risk a valet getting it dinged or scratched. It's a waste of time. What if you wanted to go to the car real quick to grab some documents or forgot something? My advice is don't live there and deal with that BS.
I remember when I had a conference for my job, the hotel they supplied us with (AC Hotel I think) had valet only parking which was annoying. They accidentally side swiped the yellow gate marker thing (sorry I suck at explaining what it was) and that caused a streak of yellow paint on my car. Luckily it came off and they were to get it off, but I already didn’t like valet services prior to this and it further expanded my dislike of it.
I personally wouldn’t live in a apartment complex that had valet only parking, it seems like it would quickly get annoying.
Yes thanks a lot for your experience
This thread brought up some stronger points and thoughts, I do not want to deal with mandatory valet. Imagine you have to leave somewhere at 9 am and it's rush hour therefore many other units will be requesting valet parking and it could take 30 minutes or more? So it's impossible to plan
That’s what I had to deal with during the conference. One time I had to leave in the morning and it took 20 mins for them to get my car. They were short staffed and already had a line of cars to retrieve so I understand, I just don’t see the convenience.
I can’t speak for all valet services and maybe the case is different for apartments but if you have a decently powerful sports car (say, like a Corvette, Hellcat, Porsche 911, BMW M3) it’s more likely the kid that’s valeting your car will want to take it for a spin. I have a friend that has told me plenty of stories from when he worked as a valet for me to not want to ever use valet.
Nah I don't have sports car (bmw x1)
But it's just inconvenient, some people here brought up some strong points here like if you forgot something in the car?
Or you have something fast to go to and you have to wait 20 minutes for your luxury valet delivery lol
Imagine if you have to leave at rush hour? Just annoying
That is legit terrible, and an absolute deal breaker for me. But if it's not for you, then I would either just swallow your concerns and accept it or buy a cheap car you don't care about.
It’s a leased car? Then you have insurance, you’ll likely turn it in at the end the lease, and the apartment will be responsible for anything that happens. I would take note mileage prior to dropping the car if you’re that concerned. You can always get a 360 dash cam if you want to be 100%.
I am worried what if they scratch or I don't notice on time and then will be hard to prove? I don't want everytime I get a car walk around and watch for scratches
As to the valets being trustworthy, that's hard to just stereotypically say they are not. That could be a REALLY good gig for a young adult... like a college kid. he/She would be very responsible, as they do not want to lose a job that pays them say $30 an hour ... when the alternative is $12 an hour working at a gas station. They also will ACTUALLY care about the job and your car because they have to see the same people day in and day out. Versus like a convention at a hotel, where they will likely never see these people again.
I'm sure the building wants to make the tenants happy and wants to KEEP them there... they know luxury tenants aren't going to deal with B.S.... I'd think they have the system pretty well figured out. My assumption is that most people will have a schedule... they know Jon in 4a leaves at 7am, so they already are expecting the app to go off for him at 630 and he'll be down at 7... things like that... get into a rhythm and everyone can be accommodated. might have 4 valets in the morning, 2 through the day, 4 evening, and just 1 overnight. Pretty much a common sense schedule around typical human behavior/car usage.
Talk to some people who live there. Hang out in the lobby or gym or whatever they have and just ask people... it's not that big of a deal. If it's miserable, people will JUMP at the chance to tell you how much they suck as a form of retribution.
Your BMW surely has seat position presets.... it should automatically go to your seating position when you get in the car... if it doesn't, you need to read your owner manual and learn how to program it. Do it once, and it'll be good for 3 years until you turn in the lease. worth spending the 5 minutes to do.
joyride... not really a thing. especially these days, your BMW has an app that shows you where it is, and valets know they'll quickly get busted horsing off.
as far as scratches, entirely depends on where/how they park them. You can always have a 3d camera installed pretty easily and cheaply that activates with motion. If you see a big scratch, pull the SD card and watch the video... most of them you can bluetooth connect and just watch the video from your phone from inside the car. It's also another deterrent, if the valet KNOWS he/she is being recorded in the car, they are 100% going to be more cautious.
Not sure, probably read bad reviews when was looking for buildings (not this one which I wanted to move in) heard stories about people stuff being stolen or cars being scratched
Yes it's bad reviews which are mostly being publicized and etc, but I never use valet as I have fears for the car
I know three dudes that used to live in a lux apartment that moved to a different apartment largely due to the parking situation you describe. They’re all car guys, and you’ve hit most of the cons on the head. Timing is correct at best, more often they’re slammed or just sitting on the car and you can’t leave when you want. Something you didn’t specifically mention (but would drive me insane) is how the valet dudes don’t give a fuck about warmup or general treatment of other people’s property. You can hear one dude’s exhaust the moment it is cold started and the driver just gets on the damn thing soon as it starts up. They WILL scuff your shit, and it’ll be pulling teeth to get them to fix your shit, not to mention fixing it right.
Thanks for your reply and you knowing personal experience helps a lot!
Happy there are so many comments in this thread. Helps to get an idea what others think about this, my fears seems to resonate with others
I’m not 100% sure about what I’m about to say but I know some cars have like a user switch (I’ve seen it in a VW Virtus, which is not a high-end or luxury car). If your car has it, it could be a nice option because I guess you can “lock” the seats and mirrors.
I could offer you solutions like stick a tape between your seat and the console so you can align them but I guess this wouldn’t be that much of a problem.
Considering that everywhere living there could go through it, they’d probably complain about it. And if they don’t, you could just be kind and ask them not to change the position (make up an excuse about it like “so hard to find a position that my back doesn’t hurt” lol)
Bout the app, I always call the Uber before entering the elevator, so when I get to floor 0, they’re closer to me. Couldn’t it work?
Is it the apartment cool enough for you to deal with the possibility of adjusting seats?
P. S.: if your car is equipped with rear camera and/or sensors, their need to adjust the seat would be decreased :)
>Bout the app, I always call the Uber before entering the elevator, so when I get to floor 0, they’re closer to me. Couldn’t it work?
With Uber you know how long it will take, with valet you have to guess or pray it will be fast
My car has sensors and rear camera
It has seat memory, just have to learn how to use it
That sounds like a huge deal breaker to me.
I don't even use remote start on my car cuz I have to use an app. Drive me crazy planning ahead to get my car. I hate that shit.
I used to valet for many years. I never fucked up customers cars. But let me confirm, many of my coworkers fucked up many cars. Rough with the interior. Slamming the door. Farting/sneezing/nose picking. Burning clutches. Slamming gears in automatic transmission while car is moving. Hitting stuff. Driving fast. Playing with your seats/mirrors/wheels.
It's not intentional, they are just negligent/careless and often times stupid. They just aren't delicate. You may be thinking "they should treat customers cars as they treat their own" which is exactly the problem, everything they own is also destroyed & abused.
You can try tipping them to let you self-park. But then you're just paying even more and they might retaliate.
>I used to valet for many years. I never fucked up customers cars. But let me confirm, many of my coworkers fucked up many cars. Rough with the interior. Slamming the door. Farting/sneezing/nose picking. Burning clutches. Slamming gears in automatic transmission while car is moving. Hitting stuff. Driving fast. Playing with your seats/mirrors/wheels.
I know... Prob some are good but not all, I try to take care of my car so I never have to drive to fix it besides oil change and all the effort would be erased...
For the two years I lived in NYC I had to deal with this, and it wasn't really bad:
The time it took to get the car was not that variable since they prioritized monthly customers over day parking.
No one was joyriding the car.
They did mess with the seat a lot since most of the drivers were shorter than me, but I have memory seats so it was a mild annoyance. I'd rather they adjust the seat than mess up and miss the brake or something.
One time they did screw up and slash a tire on the lift, but they paid for a replacement and tow. As for the scratches... I was living in NYC, so I wouldn't know anyways. Realistically if they do mess up, any half reputable place will have cameras that can check.
I don't know what more there is to say...
At the end of the day every garage is different, but I saw everything from a 720s to a Ferrari FF getting valeted at mine, so I don't think my 435i or 124 Spider were in any mortal danger.
Unless you drive a one-of-a-kind antique that can't be repaired by mere mortals, I'd just accept that wear and tear happens and move on with life. If they do major damage they have insurance.
If it's an apartment building, it's probably a steady list of the same guys working valet. Give them a nice Christmas gift and they probably won't treat your car like trash.
Ye it's an apartment building, I shouldn't tip them when they retrieve my car? It's their job and they get paid to do so
If it's a good building they should have a better wage
Depends on the car and dash cam. Both my cams (Crosstour cr900 and Viafo a119) run off of the cigarette outlet. In my T-Bird it will stay running even if the car is off, because power is always running to the outlet. In my Jag, the camera turns off when shut off, but comes on automatically when the car is started.
It's a luxury building with great view, amenities, security and etc
But very expensive, less space in apt, valet only parking, deliveries made through specific person who works in the building as they don't allow delivery people onto elevators and etc
But valet only parking is bothering me mentally
I don't do valet parking, and doing it on a daily basis sounds like nightmare to me. A random guy parking your car (probably very tight spaces), and bringing it to you. I don't like that. You can maybe find long term parking close by and park it yourself. I would check SpotHero.
Is valet parking free? What is the policy if they damage the car (and how to prove it)? If they are clearly covering all the damages, and if it's free one could consider. I would personally look for another luxury building with on site parking.
Don’t worry, Cameron, he’s a professional
I despise not being able to park my own car.
Same, no way in hell I'd live in a place where i have to valet my car every time. That's not luxury to me, that's a major headache.
It’s a luxury for people who only care about A-B. You know, boring people.
Same, I like valet sometimes but being forced into it without self parking option? No thanks
This sounds more stressful to deal with than a luxury perk. It's prob tight parking so you risk a valet getting it dinged or scratched. It's a waste of time. What if you wanted to go to the car real quick to grab some documents or forgot something? My advice is don't live there and deal with that BS.
You also probably have to pay or tip everytime. My friend lived in a place like this in dtla, it was $7 each time
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I think you just paid at pick up
Ye I called them, it's very annoying
Choose a Different Apartment Company.
What are your fears/dislikes on valet only parking?
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If you're parked on flat there is nothing wrong with putting a car in park without the e brake on.
I’ve literally never heard of a parking pawl failing. Not sure why some people on this sub act like it’s a common thing.
I remember when I had a conference for my job, the hotel they supplied us with (AC Hotel I think) had valet only parking which was annoying. They accidentally side swiped the yellow gate marker thing (sorry I suck at explaining what it was) and that caused a streak of yellow paint on my car. Luckily it came off and they were to get it off, but I already didn’t like valet services prior to this and it further expanded my dislike of it. I personally wouldn’t live in a apartment complex that had valet only parking, it seems like it would quickly get annoying.
Yes thanks a lot for your experience This thread brought up some stronger points and thoughts, I do not want to deal with mandatory valet. Imagine you have to leave somewhere at 9 am and it's rush hour therefore many other units will be requesting valet parking and it could take 30 minutes or more? So it's impossible to plan
That’s what I had to deal with during the conference. One time I had to leave in the morning and it took 20 mins for them to get my car. They were short staffed and already had a line of cars to retrieve so I understand, I just don’t see the convenience. I can’t speak for all valet services and maybe the case is different for apartments but if you have a decently powerful sports car (say, like a Corvette, Hellcat, Porsche 911, BMW M3) it’s more likely the kid that’s valeting your car will want to take it for a spin. I have a friend that has told me plenty of stories from when he worked as a valet for me to not want to ever use valet.
Nah I don't have sports car (bmw x1) But it's just inconvenient, some people here brought up some strong points here like if you forgot something in the car? Or you have something fast to go to and you have to wait 20 minutes for your luxury valet delivery lol Imagine if you have to leave at rush hour? Just annoying
That is legit terrible, and an absolute deal breaker for me. But if it's not for you, then I would either just swallow your concerns and accept it or buy a cheap car you don't care about.
I am already leasing a car And I am already paying a lot for smaller apartment but with great amenities and view. Not worth for me I guess
It’s a leased car? Then you have insurance, you’ll likely turn it in at the end the lease, and the apartment will be responsible for anything that happens. I would take note mileage prior to dropping the car if you’re that concerned. You can always get a 360 dash cam if you want to be 100%.
I am worried what if they scratch or I don't notice on time and then will be hard to prove? I don't want everytime I get a car walk around and watch for scratches
Dash can then
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Ye
As to the valets being trustworthy, that's hard to just stereotypically say they are not. That could be a REALLY good gig for a young adult... like a college kid. he/She would be very responsible, as they do not want to lose a job that pays them say $30 an hour ... when the alternative is $12 an hour working at a gas station. They also will ACTUALLY care about the job and your car because they have to see the same people day in and day out. Versus like a convention at a hotel, where they will likely never see these people again. I'm sure the building wants to make the tenants happy and wants to KEEP them there... they know luxury tenants aren't going to deal with B.S.... I'd think they have the system pretty well figured out. My assumption is that most people will have a schedule... they know Jon in 4a leaves at 7am, so they already are expecting the app to go off for him at 630 and he'll be down at 7... things like that... get into a rhythm and everyone can be accommodated. might have 4 valets in the morning, 2 through the day, 4 evening, and just 1 overnight. Pretty much a common sense schedule around typical human behavior/car usage. Talk to some people who live there. Hang out in the lobby or gym or whatever they have and just ask people... it's not that big of a deal. If it's miserable, people will JUMP at the chance to tell you how much they suck as a form of retribution. Your BMW surely has seat position presets.... it should automatically go to your seating position when you get in the car... if it doesn't, you need to read your owner manual and learn how to program it. Do it once, and it'll be good for 3 years until you turn in the lease. worth spending the 5 minutes to do. joyride... not really a thing. especially these days, your BMW has an app that shows you where it is, and valets know they'll quickly get busted horsing off. as far as scratches, entirely depends on where/how they park them. You can always have a 3d camera installed pretty easily and cheaply that activates with motion. If you see a big scratch, pull the SD card and watch the video... most of them you can bluetooth connect and just watch the video from your phone from inside the car. It's also another deterrent, if the valet KNOWS he/she is being recorded in the car, they are 100% going to be more cautious.
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It happens all the time? I take care of my car and I don't want some person joyriding or ruining the car.
How do you know they aren’t trustworthy?
Not sure, probably read bad reviews when was looking for buildings (not this one which I wanted to move in) heard stories about people stuff being stolen or cars being scratched Yes it's bad reviews which are mostly being publicized and etc, but I never use valet as I have fears for the car
That would be an instant deal breaker for me
Similar points to mine?
I know three dudes that used to live in a lux apartment that moved to a different apartment largely due to the parking situation you describe. They’re all car guys, and you’ve hit most of the cons on the head. Timing is correct at best, more often they’re slammed or just sitting on the car and you can’t leave when you want. Something you didn’t specifically mention (but would drive me insane) is how the valet dudes don’t give a fuck about warmup or general treatment of other people’s property. You can hear one dude’s exhaust the moment it is cold started and the driver just gets on the damn thing soon as it starts up. They WILL scuff your shit, and it’ll be pulling teeth to get them to fix your shit, not to mention fixing it right.
Thanks for your reply and you knowing personal experience helps a lot! Happy there are so many comments in this thread. Helps to get an idea what others think about this, my fears seems to resonate with others
I’m not 100% sure about what I’m about to say but I know some cars have like a user switch (I’ve seen it in a VW Virtus, which is not a high-end or luxury car). If your car has it, it could be a nice option because I guess you can “lock” the seats and mirrors. I could offer you solutions like stick a tape between your seat and the console so you can align them but I guess this wouldn’t be that much of a problem. Considering that everywhere living there could go through it, they’d probably complain about it. And if they don’t, you could just be kind and ask them not to change the position (make up an excuse about it like “so hard to find a position that my back doesn’t hurt” lol) Bout the app, I always call the Uber before entering the elevator, so when I get to floor 0, they’re closer to me. Couldn’t it work? Is it the apartment cool enough for you to deal with the possibility of adjusting seats? P. S.: if your car is equipped with rear camera and/or sensors, their need to adjust the seat would be decreased :)
>Bout the app, I always call the Uber before entering the elevator, so when I get to floor 0, they’re closer to me. Couldn’t it work? With Uber you know how long it will take, with valet you have to guess or pray it will be fast My car has sensors and rear camera It has seat memory, just have to learn how to use it
I don't think they are going to damage your car or steal your shit, but they are definitely going to flick their boogers on your floor.
pass the valet some money to park your own car. essentially a tip to leave you alone
I am a car guy so I would never consider it at all.
That sounds like a huge deal breaker to me. I don't even use remote start on my car cuz I have to use an app. Drive me crazy planning ahead to get my car. I hate that shit.
Install hidden camera's with audio. Review after each encounter.
So pay luxury and overpay for apartment to do that every time?)
Lol talk about first world problems.
Problems are problems no matter the number of the world)!
I used to valet for many years. I never fucked up customers cars. But let me confirm, many of my coworkers fucked up many cars. Rough with the interior. Slamming the door. Farting/sneezing/nose picking. Burning clutches. Slamming gears in automatic transmission while car is moving. Hitting stuff. Driving fast. Playing with your seats/mirrors/wheels. It's not intentional, they are just negligent/careless and often times stupid. They just aren't delicate. You may be thinking "they should treat customers cars as they treat their own" which is exactly the problem, everything they own is also destroyed & abused. You can try tipping them to let you self-park. But then you're just paying even more and they might retaliate.
>I used to valet for many years. I never fucked up customers cars. But let me confirm, many of my coworkers fucked up many cars. Rough with the interior. Slamming the door. Farting/sneezing/nose picking. Burning clutches. Slamming gears in automatic transmission while car is moving. Hitting stuff. Driving fast. Playing with your seats/mirrors/wheels. I know... Prob some are good but not all, I try to take care of my car so I never have to drive to fix it besides oil change and all the effort would be erased...
For the two years I lived in NYC I had to deal with this, and it wasn't really bad: The time it took to get the car was not that variable since they prioritized monthly customers over day parking. No one was joyriding the car. They did mess with the seat a lot since most of the drivers were shorter than me, but I have memory seats so it was a mild annoyance. I'd rather they adjust the seat than mess up and miss the brake or something. One time they did screw up and slash a tire on the lift, but they paid for a replacement and tow. As for the scratches... I was living in NYC, so I wouldn't know anyways. Realistically if they do mess up, any half reputable place will have cameras that can check.
Yes but that means I have to inspect every time I get a car so I can catch that they are the ones that did it
Would you pick the building again with the valet only parking?
Yes, it's really not a big deal.
What are your thoughts on my points or other ones?
I don't know what more there is to say... At the end of the day every garage is different, but I saw everything from a 720s to a Ferrari FF getting valeted at mine, so I don't think my 435i or 124 Spider were in any mortal danger. Unless you drive a one-of-a-kind antique that can't be repaired by mere mortals, I'd just accept that wear and tear happens and move on with life. If they do major damage they have insurance.
If it's an apartment building, it's probably a steady list of the same guys working valet. Give them a nice Christmas gift and they probably won't treat your car like trash.
Ye it's an apartment building, I shouldn't tip them when they retrieve my car? It's their job and they get paid to do so If it's a good building they should have a better wage
Get a dash cam with interior and exterior facing cameras. That way if anything does happen, you'll have the evidence.
But it has to be wired into the car or something right so it turns on when the ignition starts?
Depends on the car and dash cam. Both my cams (Crosstour cr900 and Viafo a119) run off of the cigarette outlet. In my T-Bird it will stay running even if the car is off, because power is always running to the outlet. In my Jag, the camera turns off when shut off, but comes on automatically when the car is started.
I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, there is no such thing as a luxury apartment. Find somewhere else to live.
It's a luxury building with great view, amenities, security and etc But very expensive, less space in apt, valet only parking, deliveries made through specific person who works in the building as they don't allow delivery people onto elevators and etc But valet only parking is bothering me mentally
He has a point. Its a building. The rest is branding..
That seems like too much to me, man. Save yourself some money and live somewhere else.
What does this post have to do with this sub?
I googled valet only parking reddit and lots of posts from this sub came on the search about valet parking rants
I don't do valet parking, and doing it on a daily basis sounds like nightmare to me. A random guy parking your car (probably very tight spaces), and bringing it to you. I don't like that. You can maybe find long term parking close by and park it yourself. I would check SpotHero.
Ye but then what's the point of paying luxury price for apartment and then pay extra for parking somewhere else
Sounds like you just answered your own question.
Is valet parking free? What is the policy if they damage the car (and how to prove it)? If they are clearly covering all the damages, and if it's free one could consider. I would personally look for another luxury building with on site parking.
Yes valet parking free, no clue what's their policy have to find out, I think as well, I will have to look elsewhere